Charles a



@geiten gisten ateet @ffies CHARLES A, WELLINGTON, .OF EAST LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS..

Letters Patent N 76,962, dated April 21, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRAVELLING-BAGS.

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TO ALL WI-IOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. WELLINGTON, of EastIiexington, in the county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Iortmanteaus or Travelling-Bags; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of my invention sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to practise it.

My invention relates particularly to the means of securing together thejaws of portmnnteaus cr travellinghags. In that class of travelling-bags made et' leather or other flexible material, and having-jaws to open and close, cach jaw being made with a rigid or rnetal frame, there is always an outward pressure upon the jaws,

tending to open them, when they are pressed tightly together. The jaws of such a bag are generally provided with a look and staple, to lock the mouth of the bag by a key, but it is often desirable to confine the jaws together without so locking them, and to accomplish this, I employ swinging hooks, so constructed and applied that the outward strain or pressure of the jaws forces the inwardly-projecting end of each hook into a. socket, made in the frame-piece, which shuts against the piece to which the hooks are hinged. It is in this construction that my invention primarily consists.

The drawings represent the upper part of a. portmanteau or travelling-bag embodyingmy improvements.

A shows the same in rear view; B is a cross-section, through one of the hooks; C is atop view of one of the hooks and the staple above it. a denotes the body of the bag, having a mouth closed by ordinary jaws, b e, one closing within the other. Near the corner or edge of the upper jaw b, opposite its open side, I hinge two hooks, d, the hinge-pin or pivots turnngin ears e, projectingfrom the top ofthe metal frame of thejaw b, or from platesf, riveted to such frame.

Each hook swings up from the top ot' the jaw, as sceniby rcdlines at B, and at its ond opposite to the hinge, it is made with a bend, z', to extend down over the face of the jaw c, and a tooth, g, projects inwards, this tooth entering a socket, 7L, in a plate, o, riveted to the jawc, or a. notch or depression made in the metal frarnc of said jaw.

When the jaws are closed, the jaw c is pressed into thejaw I, and the hooks d are then turned down, which brings the tooth on each hook into such'position that the tooth is carried into the socket by the outward pressure of the jaws, the hook-bend a' holding the jaws together, and the toothg keeping the hook from slipping up from thcjaw c.

'When the jaws are to be opened, the jaw c is pressed into thejaw I), to allow the hooks to be swung up, this movement of the hooks being facilitated by constructing cach hook witha projecting lip, L", under which the thumb-nail may be slipped to aid in raising the hook. i

'Ihelhooks thus constructed and employed, permit the bag to be readily opened, and securely closed against accidental opening, without the employment of any key-locking mechanism.

Upon the upper surface of the jaw b, I tix two staples or eyes Z, cach riveted directly to the jaw-frame, the oye part of each being preferably formed of the piece which makes the bearings for the hinge-pin of one ofthe hooks, d, as shown in the drawings.

These eyes are for the purpose of applying and securing the ends of a shoulder-strap or cord, for slinging thebag-or'er thc shoulder, or the ends of a. long loose handle, such as is sometimes used with portmanteaus.

These bands or handles are generally attached to loose rings, running through eyes, but as these rings are constantly breaking, .I make the bag with the stationary eyes or staples riveted directly to the metal frame.

Thojaws may be secured by one hook, d, at or near the centre of the bag, but I prefer to use two hooks, as shown.

I claim, in combination with thcjaws Z7 e, the hooks d, each hinged at one end to the jaw b, and having at its opposite end the bendf, and tooth g, the-tooth enteringthe socket or recess in the jaw c, to confine the `jaws together, substantially as described. Y

I also claim the stationary staples or eyes Z, riveted to the metal jaw-frame, substantially as described.

CITAS. A. WELLINGTON.

Witnesses Farmers GoULD, L. H. LATIMER. 

